MovieChat Forums > Exotica (1995) Discussion > So, did Eric follow all Christina's clie...

So, did Eric follow all Christina's clients into the bathroom?

posted 19 years ago by Manwomanchild
6 replies | jump to latest

...like he followed Francis and Thomas, and drilled them on what they talked about. This was no concern, it was jealousy.

[–] 666Night999 19 years ago

I don't think so. Eric knows the intimate connection between Francis and Christina. And I think he gauges Francis' interaction with Christina, and feels it is getting dangerously close to a sexual obsession, whereas before it was more of a protective, paternal bond. So Eric goes in and sets up Francis to touch her, and etc.,etc. the chain of events follow.

As for Eric barging in on Thomas, I think Eric senses something weird is going on with the way Thomas is interacting with Christina. He says "she acts like herself when you are talking to her", or maybe it was partly due to the fact that Thomas is gay and Eric can sense this, the awkwardness of Thomas being in a strip club filled with women. I don't think there is an exact answer to this question. Also, Eric is becoming unhinged around this time. He is at odds with Christina because she found out about his contract with the baby with Zoe. Or maybe Eric could tell that Thomas was wired, because Thomas would tilt his head and speak into the microphone, prompting Eric to investigate this in his own way. But I don't think I'd go so far as to claim that Eric knows of Francis' attempts at finding out why Eric set him up.

It's possible Eric talks to other patrons, as it would certainly fit into the ritualistic behaviors of each character in this movie. They all repeat patterns of behavior, some kind of psychological mechanism that forces them to repeat actions, thinking a different outcome will come out of it, but knowing and probably wanting the same outcome all along. In other words, an obsession.

I guess control is an issue too. Eric wants some control over people. He certainly commands the strip club, with his orchestrating of dancers, occasional quips and nicknames his uses on the dancers, his baby with Zoe(certainly qualified enough to father the owner's child), his disappointment with not fulfilling his dream of becoming more than a strip club dj, his conclusion that what he wants will always slip away from him.

Anyway, I might be veering off a little. Does this help?

"Nice beaver!"
"Thanks, I just had it stuffed."--The Naked Gun

[–] Manwomanchild 19 years ago

So, Eric was in love with her and wanted her sexually. Francis wanted her to project feelings for his dead daughter on to. Right?

WHY did Eric and Christina break up. The contract? Why would Eric do that to her.

[–] 666Night999 19 years ago

Eric and Christina had been lovers, but not anymore. He explains this to Thomas in the bathroom.

Yes, Francis was substituting Christina for his dead daughter.

I don't know why Eric and Christina broke up, but Eric had said previously that he always feels like he'll lose the things he wants, he'll always be disappointed. Maybe some of it has to do with them working in the same strip club, having to be around each other all the time, and more recently Eric's contract with Zoe, and Eric's name-calling, the 'sashy piece of jailbait' remarks.

As for the baby, the actress who played Zoe, who is married to Egoyan in real life, was actually pregnant during the filming. And since Egoyan usually casts his wife for a role in each of his movies, and that she was pregnant, he wrote in this little twist, which happened to work quite well to form a wedge between Eric and Christina. No one really knows why Zoe "desperately needed this child", but we can sense that Eric has sexual feelings for her. They mutually agree that they have to keep their feelings at bay, "that is why we have a contract". She asks is he happy, and he responds "for you."

I guess Eric did this for the money and because he was attracted to her and he's just kind of a scuzzy guy, and quite possibly to make Christina jealous, as she seems to be drifting further in the darker chambers of sexual obsession with Francis. Eric senses something is growing deeper between Christina and Francis, so he forces himself into the situation and physically intervenes; 1) to protect her from the nascent lechery of Francis(and to protect Francis from himself), 2) out of jealousy for her, to get back at her for breaking up. Remember he verbally taunts her during her introductions, and at first doesn't realize that she has found out about his and Zoe's contract with baby. At one point, Christina explains that she wanted to make sure that Eric knew why she was mad at him.

"Nice beaver!"
"Thanks, I just had it stuffed."--The Naked Gun

[–] Acropolisnow 19 years ago

Good analysis.

It was pretty obvious to me Eric was TOTALLY obsessed /in love with Christina. In the bathroom talking to Thomas, he looks like he is going to be psyically ill talking about tha fact that she is "herself" with another man. I really don''t think Eric was sexually attracted To Zoe. I did not get that vibe at all, wheras the sexual tension was very thick with Christina. Seems he did it for the money. I guess.

What was your take on the Erics whole "You sooth me speech" speech to Christina?

[–] 666Night999 19 years ago

I think for a time Christina helps Francis by being there for him. She is seen as a healing figure. Eric also feels this catharsis too. He found the dead daughter and knows the intimate connection Francis has with Christina. So Eric does feel burdened by Francis' struggle and loss. He somewhat vicariously lives within Francis' torment. When he sees their interaction becoming more than just a platonic bond, he intervenes in order to protect everyone involved. So Eric explains that Christina had soothed Francis and himself. He just feels that Francis' obsession is going too far and something very wrong might happen. He finds a way to disrupt this escalating ritual.

"Nice beaver!"
"Thanks, I just had it stuffed."--The Naked Gun

[–] thbryn 12 years ago

Eric reminds me of "Sport" (H.Keitel) from "Taxi Driver" in the way he looks and speaks.

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